Photo caption: Peter Obi
The Presidency has responded to comments by opposition figure Peter Obi calling for the resignation of President Bola Tinubu, describing the remarks as “childish” and “an unwarranted distraction.”
In a statement signed by presidential aide Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency rejected Obi’s comparison between Nigeria’s political system and that of the United Kingdom, insisting the argument was “simplistic” and fundamentally flawed.
“Obi’s call for President Tinubu’s resignation childish and an unwarranted distraction,” the statement declared.
It added that Obi’s analysis “is not only misplaced but also reflect a selective and distorted view of Nigeria’s realities since 2023.”
The Presidency further argued that Nigeria’s presidential system made Obi’s comparison irrelevant.
It read, “Obi forgets our country does not run a parliamentary system of government like the UK. We run a presidential system, with the president elected to a fixed 4-year term.”
It also cited recent election outcomes as evidence of public confidence in the administration, stating: “The people of Ekiti State and the Senatorial constituents in Nasarawa, Enugu, Ondo, and Rivers have just delivered a resounding victory for President Tinubu and his party… These election results… show that President Tinubu and his party are popular with Nigerians.”
On security, the statement defended the government’s record, insisting significant progress had been made despite longstanding challenges.
“Hundreds of people have been rescued from captivity… Our gallant troops have neutralised terrorist kingpins… Over 15,000 terrorists have been taken off the streets and forests,” it said, adding that the administration had “expanded investments in security by deploying advanced technologies and drones.”
It also took a personal swipe at Obi, stating: “It is laughable that Obi… was a colossal failure, unable to secure lives and property in his small state of Anambra.”
On the economy, the Presidency rejected claims of decline and instead pointed to what it described as “verifiable data and global plaudits” under Tinubu’s leadership.
“Since then, the Nigerian economy has posted positive GDP growth every quarter… foreign reserves have hit new highs—over $50 billion,” the statement read.
It further claimed: “Oil production has risen from less than one million barrels per day to about 1.8 million… Federation revenue is projected to hit over N30 trillion this year… The stock market has soared… from 50,000 to over 250,000.”
On infrastructure and reforms, the statement said the administration was “building concrete roads that will last 100 years or more across all the country’s geopolitical zones” and implementing long-standing highway projects including the “Lagos-Calabar and Sokoto-Badagry superhighways.”
It also highlighted education and energy reforms, noting that students had benefited from “close to two million Nigerian tertiary students interest-free loans” and insisting there had been no major disruption to academic calendars.
Responding directly to Obi’s remarks on electricity promises, the Presidency accused him of misrepresentation:
“What he actually said… was: ‘Whichever way, by all means necessary, you will have electricity, and you will not pay for estimated bills anymore… If I don’t keep the promise and I come for a second term, don’t vote for me—unless I give you adequate reasons why I couldn’t deliver.”
The statement added that reforms were already underway, including the Electricity Act and prepaid metering rollout.
On the broader economic hardship narrative, the Presidency attributed global inflation pressures to international conflicts, stating: “Any honest politician will agree this is a global problem resulting from the tensions in the Middle East.”
The statement concluded with unusually sharp criticism of Obi’s political stance, calling the resignation demand “childish and hollow.”
“Peter Obi’s call for President Tinubu’s resignation is childish and hollow. It is not a call to hold the leader accountable. It is merely a political grandstand and an unworthy distraction,” it said.
In its closing remarks, the Presidency escalated its tone further: “With his puerile tweet on X, we are now convinced that Peter Obi lives in his self-constructed echo chambers… That reality he fantasises about is mostly a figment of his imagination.”
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